A Moment's Respite
by A-J-aria
Summary: She and Cullen had been diligently training up until that point. Aislin thinks they've earned a small break by this point.


**They need a proper day off. As always any feedback is greatly appreciated and you guys are all fantastic. I hope you enjoy this fic and feel free to check out more at my tumblr a-j-aria.**

"Your stance isn't wide enough."

"That's because I'm holding a shield not a bloody maul." Cullen stood, shield first before her in the clearing. "If I go any wider, it'll throw off my weight."

The Inquisitor sighed and lowered her sword. "_You'll_ get thrown if you don't go any wider," she replied to which Cullen rolled his eyes exasperatedly. The Inquisitor had a thin sheen of sweat along her brow, but there was a cool breeze blowing through the clearing that was refreshing on her skin.

The two were currently in a clearing in the forest a ways away from Skyhold practicing their combat moves. The Commander had left the Iron Bull in charge of the soldier's training regime for the day, a fact which he knew would rightfully teach the recruits about what happens when they play games of Wicked Grace and drank whilst on still on duty. Cullen, however, took advantage of his brief respite by heading out with the Herald. Out in the grassy field, the sun high and the breeze calm, it was truly a perfect day to go out alone together like this, a privilege neither party was often privy to. _Although_, Cullen thought with a smirk, _this is hardly what one would call a typical outing. _But he is quickly coming to learn that nothing when it came to Aislin Trevelyan was typical.

"Tsk, tsk, Commander, you're doing it again," she lectured as she nudged his feet further apart with the flat end of her sword.

Cullen grimaced, frustrated. "I hope you realize that I do have _a bit _of experience in combat under my belt as well, no?"

Aislin snorted, "I certainly hope the Commander of the Inquisition would have some experience."

"Then perhaps you could refrain from lecturing me as if I am an adolescent boy holding a blade for the first time," he snapped, although not quite intending it to come off as annoyed as it did. "Sorry, that came out rougher than I had intended-" he began but Aislin interrupted.

"Fuck. I – You're right, I'm sorry," she sighed and her shoulders drooped just a bit as she let go of some of the tension in her muscles. "I don't mean to make it seem like I don't trust in your abilities. Cullen," she paused and looked him in the eyes, "you're a better leader and soldier than I could ever hope to be." And he could tell from the earnestness in her eyes that she truly believed that. He disagreed with her most definitely for he saw no stronger person or leader than the very Herald of Andraste, but that was not the kind of discussion (or argument) worth having at the moment.

"But.." Cullen edged on for he knew she had more to say yet.

"_But,"_ she emphasized, "we're not just fighting mages and templars and abominations anymore. There are demons that we face on a daily basis that are three times my size." And Cullen would like to point out that with her height, that was not saying as much as she thought it was, but artfully decided to keep his opinion to himself when she fixed him with a pointed look, likely knowing what he was going to say before he even said the words.

"I have handled my fair share of beasts," Cullen countered. A part of him knew she was right, recognized that he was far too used to dealing with human enemies than that of.. otherworldly origins save for Knight-Commander Meredith and the abominations in both the Circle and Kirkwall. Another half, however, did not want the Inquisitor to think him weak and see him as unfit for the role he has taken upon himself. Rationally, he knew that it was an unwarranted fear, but the insecurity persisted nonetheless.

"Not like this, you haven't." She shook her head, eyes growing unfocused for a moment as she thought back to one of the many battles she had been forced to fight in the past months. Cullen sometimes wondered what kinds of demons she was battling within herself and longed for the day when he could be there for her as she was for him.

"Anyways," Aislin quickly shook herself and regained her composure and Cullen wasn't sure whether that was for the best or not. He always admired how she never restrained her emotions, wearing them so plainly on her face – she had nothing to hide. But just because she put up a front, did not mean that she dealt with all of her problems or didn't try to dodge them when they surfaced. Her voice brought him back to the present, however, and he decided that dwelling on it would benefit no one at the moment. "Stand however you want, I'm going to charge you," she declared, hefting her sword forward in front of her and getting into position.

"What?"

"You heard what I said, get to it." And Cullen did. He spread his feet apart, wider than usual as per the Inquisitor's earlier instructions and put his shield up before him.

"Whenever you're ready," he braced himself as he got a look at her from above the curve of his shield. Aislin wasted no time, charging forward with a yell and swinging the Greatsword in a mighty arc, turning the blade away from Cullen and hitting him directly with the pommel straight to the shield.

Cullen staggered backwards, the wind knocked out of him at the force. In the next moments, he was staring up at her triumphant smirk from the ground on which he lay. "Not. A. Word." He hissed at her when he was finally able to catch her breath as he felt a small blush for across his cheeks.

"I didn't say anything," she spoke from above him, but the mocking smile said plenty. "Just – "

"I know."

"Like I said – "

"I know."

"You need to – "

"Maker, woman, I _know_." To which she sniggered as she reached her hand out to help him up. Cullen wasn't yet finished, and when he put her hand in hers, he tightened his grip and hauled her down onto the ground next to him.

Aislin toppled over him and she glared at him playfully as she adjusted herself to straddle his hips. "You're just being petty because you know I was right," she claimed as her lips hovered just slightly above his own. Cullen had to admit that he much preferred this view over the one from before.

He smirked and began to kiss along her jaw. "That was incredibly humiliating, you know."

"Widen your stance next time," she hummed, shivering from the sensation of his cool lips against her heated skin.

Cullen just huffed a breath of air in response as he pulled back and sent her a flat look that said '_I get it already'_ to which Aislin could not help but laugh as she collapsed onto the ground next to him and gave him a shove. He let out a low chuckle in response and turned his head to look at her, grass in her hair, smile wide. She looked up at the sky with an unguarded expression as if for once, she wasn't expecting a dragon to descend down from it and reign hell from above. She grew quiet as her laughs died down and slid closer to him, using his pauldrons as a makeshift cushion for her head and Cullen was a bit too endeared at the moment to really complain about it.

"This is nice," she whispered, so light that the wind could carry her words away.

"It is," he agreed. And they stayed like that for a while, saying nothing and looking up at the sky, enjoying the feel of grass beneath them and the wind above them. It wasn't often that the two of them could take a respite from the world like this, and Aislin was going to revel in every second she got of it.

However, moments later, Cullen began to shift. He cleared his throat uncertainly and leaned up, rubbing the back of his neck with a gloved hand. "Erm.. I suppose we should get back to – uh – " he began awkwardly, but Aislin was having none of it.

Her hand flew out and pushed his shoulder to lay him back down on the ground. "No.. Let's just stay like this for a bit longer," she murmured, moving closer. And Cullen could find no reasonable excuse to disagree.


End file.
